Means and method for sewing bags filled with discrete articles

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and a method for sewing the open end of a bag along the upper end portion thereof after the bag has been filled with a plurality of discrete articles so that the contents of the bag are contained. The apparatus and method includes transporting the filled bags to and from a sewing station through a plurality of supporting belts and includes apparatus for feeding, grasping and crimping the upper end portion of the bag before and during the sewing operation; the method and apparatus also discloses provision for tucking the open end portion of the bag during sewing so as to provide a tight closure.

United-States Patent j 1 Stanley A. McClusky 3001 Baylor Ave.,Bakersfield, Calif. .93305 [21] App]. No. 767,137

[22] Filed Oct. 14, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 12, 1971 [72] Inventor [54] MEANS AND METHOD FOR SEWING BAGS FILLED WITH DISCRETE ARTICLES Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Artorney-Miketta, Glenny, Poms & Smith ABSTRACT: An apparatus and a method for sewing the open end of a bag along the upper end portion thereof after the bag has been filled with a plurality of discrete articles so that the contents of the bag are contained. The apparatus and method includes transporting the filled bags to and from a sewing station through a plurality of supporting belts and includes apparatus for feeding, grasping and crimping the upper end portion of the bag before and during the sewing operation; the method and apparatus also discloses provision for tucking the open end portion of the bag during sewing so as to provide a tight closure.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR SEWINGBAGS FILLED i WITH DISCRETE ARTICLES This invention generally relates to a bag-closing machine for sewing the'upper end portion of suspenddpliant bags, such as burlap, paper, or the like, after the bags have been filled with discrete articles. Such discrete articles may constitute produce such as potatoes, tomatoes; brussel sprouts, pears, zucchini squash, cucumbers, plums and the like which may be supplied to the bag in accordance with the desired weight by an apparatus such that disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 619,801. The present apparatus is adapted to be used at the discharge end of such a bag filling and weighing machine. During the filling and weighing operation, the upper end of the bag is maintained in an'open-position so that the discrete articles may be delivered intothe' bag; When the bag is filled and weighed, it may be released onto a conveyor system which forms a part of the present invention. In most instances, the, pliancy of such bags will preclude their standing in a free upright position suitable for sewing the upper end portionofthebag;' '1 w While bag-closing machines are known in the prior art, such machines are notadaptedffor sewing the open upper end portion of bags filled with discrete articles; In; most instances, the prior art bag-closing machines havenot-involved problems in maintaining the bag in an upright condition, since'the bags were filled with granular'rnaterial so as to be stable or were of a size or configuration so as to render the'bag stable although free-standing. Moreover, such prior art'd'e'vices while disclosing various means forfeeding the upper end portion of the bag to and from a sewingstation, have not disclosed'satisfactory means for grasping, crimping and feeding the upper end portion of the bag. For example, burlap bags containing potatoes were difficu'ltto hold in upright position'and manually feed to a sewing'station. v

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide means and method for sewing closed the upper end portion of bags filled with discrete articles that overcome all of the disadvantages of prior art devices. I It is one object of the present invention .to provide means and method for closing bags filled with discrete articles that includes provision forthe transportationof bags to and from a sewing station while maintaining bags of appreciable height in an erect condition.

1 It is another object of the presgntlinvention to provide means and method as above described, which includes a support the bag upper end portion and maintain such portion in a closedpartially gathered condition suitablefor sewing.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means and method of the above-described type wherein the provision for crimping, grasping and feeding the upper end 7 portion of the bags to the sewing station also includes support for the upper end portion 'of the bag during the sewing operation and guide means for preventing the free-standing upper end portion of the bag from becoming entangled in the adjacent machinery. a

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a means andmethod for closing bags of the above-described type in which the bags-are moved at a speed through a sewing station in relation to the speed of the means for grasping and feeding the upper end portion of the bags to the sewing station so that the upper end portion of the bag is further tucked or slightly gathered in the direction of movement during the sewing operation so as to provide a tight closure.

posite sides of the upper end portion of the bag so as to grasp and crimp the bag portion therebetween, and sewing means for closing the upper end portion'fot the bag. The invention further contemplates the provision of maintaining the speed at which the bags are transported in relation to the speed in tion so that the upper end portion of the bag is tucked or overlapped during the sewing operation to provide a tight closure.

Other objects of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages will be readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a bag-closing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along the plane ll-ll of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the .bag and roller chains taken along the plane indicated by line III-III of FIG. 2;

' FIG.'4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the plane IV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section view of the bag-closing machine taken along the plane V-V of FIG. 1; n

FIG. 6 is a section view of the bag-closing machine taken along the plane VI-VI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a section view taken along the plane Vll-VI] of FIG. l;and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a bag show ing the line of stitching made on the bag by the bag-closing machine of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of a bagclosing machine for use in connection, for example, with a bag filling and weighing machine indicated generally by the reference numeral 21. The bag filling and weighing machine 21 includes a discharge end for releasing the bags indicated at 22 which are filled to the proper desired weight with discrete articles and are ready to be closed. The bag-closing machine generally comprises a sewing station including means for sewing the upper endportion of the bag, means for transporting the filled bags to and from the sewing station, and means for feeding, grasping and crimping the open end portion of the bag so as to properly position and support such upper end portion for the sewing operation.

The bag conveyor means for transporting filled bags 22 to the sewing station of the exemplary embodiment may include a, bottom horizontal endless conveyor belt 25, one end of which is proximate the discharge end of the bag filling and weighingmachine 21. The horizontal endless conveyor belt 25 is mounted on horizontally extending spindles or arbors 26, 27 and may be constructed from a suitable rubber or rubberized fabric material. The horizontal spindles26, 27 are driven by a variable speed drive or power means of well known make (not shown).

The bag conveyor means also comprises a pair of vertically disposed horizontally spaced endless conveyor belts 30, 31 providing stabilizing support to the main body portion of bags 22. Each of the vertically disposed endless conveyor belts 30, 31 is mounted on longitudinally spaced apart vertically oriented spindles 32, 33 and 34, 35 respectively. The vertically disposed endless conveyor belts include opposing inner lays 36, 37 which are horizontally spaced apart a distance which is preferably less than the lateral dimension of the bag when filled and free-standing so that the inner lays 36, 37 bear upon the sides of the filled bag 22 causing the bag to stand erect. The vertical endless conveyor belts, like the horizontal conveyor belt, may be constructed of rubber or rubberized fabric and is driven through a suitable separate variable drive or power means. The separate variable drive means may be any suitable well known variable drive means with suitable synchronizing means so that the speeds of the horizontal and vertical belts may be the same.

It will be readily appreciated that the bottom horizontal endless conveyor belt 25 may be vertically adjustable with respect to the remainder of the bag-closing machine so that the machine may accommodate bags of different vertical height. Moreover, it will also be appreciated that the vertical endless conveyor belts 30, 31 may be horizontally or laterally adjustable so that bags of different dimensions or configurations may be accommodated in the aforedescribed manner wherein the inner lays of the belt bear upon the sides of the bag maintaining such bag in erect condition.

The bag-closing machine also includes means for feeding, grasping and crimping the open upper end of the bag which in the exemplary embodiment includes the roller chain means generally indicated at 40. The roller chain means 40 comprises a support frame including upright members 41, 42 on which is mounted the horizontal frame member 43 (FIG. 6). A separable variable speed drive means for chain means 40 may include motor means 28 which drives the roller chain means 40 through the horizontal shaft 44 supported by motor 28 and bearing stand 45. The opposite ends of horizontal shaft 44 carry bevel gears 46, 47 which are drivingly engaged with bevel gears 48, 49, respectively, mounted on vertical shafts 50, 51 disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor belts and supported by bearing stands 52, 53 and the horizontal frame member 43. At the upper end of each of the vertical shafts 50, 51 are mounted drive sprockets 55, 56 for driving a first upper pair of roller chains 57, 58, respectively.

Roller chain 58 is supported by frame plate 60 of selected thickness so that the edge margin 61 thereof may be received between and embraced by the chain links and the edge face 63 of plate 60 contacts rollers of the roller chain. An adjustable idle pulley or sheave 62 may have flanges spaced apart a sufficient distance to receive chain 58 and maintains tension on said chain for holding the chain in rolling slidable engagement with the plate edge margins 61. Between ends of plate 60 a roller chain lay 64 is supported on said plate, said lay being generally parallel to the direction of movement of bags transported by the bag conveyor means.

Roller chain 57 is similarly supported from a horizontal plate 66 having edge margins 67 for supporting roller chain 57 in the manner as described for chain 58. The roller chain 57 includes a lay 70 which is parallel to and closely spaced from lay 64 ofroller chain 58.

It is important to note that plate 66 includes a forward extension 71 projecting beyond the end of plate 60 and beyond the needle position of a sewing machine head as later described. The end of the plate 66 is provided with a suitable radius so that the roller chain 57 may roll therearound with the links of the chain embracing the edge margins 72 of the plate extension 71.

A second pair of endless roller chains 75, 76 may be disposed immediately below roller chains 57, 58, respectively, and may be supported upon plates 68, 69 of selected thickness in a manner similar to that described above for chains 57, 58. Chains 75, 76 also include lays 77, 78 which are oppositely disposed and closely spaced as are the lays 64, 70 of roller chains 58,57.

Referring now TO FIG. 2, it will be seen that the lays 70, 64 of roller chains 57, 58 are in the same general horizontal plane and are disposed above the lays 77, 78 of roller chains 75, 76 which are also in the same general horizontal plane. Each of the roller chains include a plurality of sideplates or links 80, 81 and rollers 82 as indicated in FIG. 2 on lay 70 of roller chain 57. As seen in FIG. 2, the opposing lays 70, 64 while in a generally horizontal plane are slightly vertically offset with respect to one another so that the links 80 and 81' of lay 64 of roller chain 58 are below the plane of the links 80 and 81. The links on the lays 77 and 78 of roller chains 75, 76 are similarly vertically offset. It will therefore be seen that the upper end portion 85 of bag 22 will be crimped in a vertical direction as seen in FIG. 2 so as to facilitate tight frictional grasping of the opposed walls of the bag upper end portion 85 by the lays of the two pairs of roller chains to prevent vertical slippage of the material ofthe closure end portion 85. As also seen in FIG. 3, the frame means of bag closing machine may also include horizontal plates 86 disposed in aplane intermediate that of the two pairs of roller chains and plates 87 disposed below the lower pair of roller chains to support plates 60 and 66 and to provide mounting for sheaves or pulleys 62, 68. Plates 87 prevent interference between the chains and the bag passing therebelow.

The rollers in each of the upper and lower lays 64, 70 and 77, 78 of the pairs of roller chains are longitudinally ofi set or staggered, as seen in FIG. 3. The links are thus longitudinally staggered with respect to the links 80 and rollers 82 are similarly staggered with respect to the rollers 82' on the opposed chain lay 64. Each of links 80, 80', 81, and 81' may be provided with side edges of alternate concave-convex configuration, the interconnected links forming curvilinear longitudinal side edges. When adjacent links of opposed lays are longitudinally offset, the concave-convex side edges at least partially mate with each other as best shown in FIG. -3. Consequently, the bag upper end portion is crimped, gathered, or tucked in a horizontal direction so as to further facilitate the tight grasping of the bag upper end portion by the chain lays. It will therefore be seen that the bag upper end portion is crimped in several directions so as to lie in an irregular vertical and horizontal configuration and is grasped by the links of the chain lays which press against the bag upper end portion 85 so as to hold and positively move the bag upper end portion with the lays.

The bag-closing machine also includes sewing means which in the exemplary embodiment comprises the sewing apparatus indicated generally at 90. The sewing apparatus as seen in FIG. 7, includes the'frame 91 having a foot portion 92 and a bobbin area 93. The sewing apparatus is conventional, including a sewing needle 94, and is preferably pivotally mounted on a standard so that the frame may be moved into and out of position so as to facilitate threading of the sewing needle 94 and maintenance of the sewing apparatus. Thread or cord-carrying spindle (not shown) may be mounted on frame 91.

Guide means is mounted on sewing apparatus 90 and in this exemplary embodiment may include a vertical guide plate 96 overlying bobbin area 93 and secured to the sewing apparatus. Guide plate 96 extends rearwardly towards the front curved end of plate 60 and roller chain 58 and terminates proximate to chain 58. Side face 98 of plate 96 may lightly contact the opposed portion of lay 70 of chain 57. The rear edge portion 97 of guide plate 96 is curved slightly away from lay 70 of roller chain 57 and into close relationship with chain 58 as best seen in FIG. 1 so that the fabric and material of the upper end bag portion 85, which is moving between the upper chain lays 64, 70, will not follow chain 58 around the curved end of plate 60 and thus become entangled with chain 58. In this respect it should be noted that in the zone of the directly opposed chain lays 64, 70, and 77, 78, and through the sewing head zone the chain is carried by the edge margins of their respective plates in such a manner that the material of the burlap fabric is not caught, grasped or entangled between the links, rollers or plate edge margins. Thus, use is avoided of sprockets with teeth which would mesh with a roller chain at a change in direction of the chain and which would tend to grab material of the burlap fabric as the teeth meshed with the roller chain. In the present invention the bag upper end portion grasped and crimped between the two pairs of chain lays is smoothly advanced to the sewing needle without interference by the transport means. I

As seen best in FIG. 4, the lay extension 700 of ioller chain 57 extends above sewing needle 94 and is closely spaced with guide plate 96 so as to support and feed the bag upper end portion during the sewing operation. An actuating switch (not shown) may be positioned rearwardly of the sewing needle 94 to sense the presence of a bag and to start and stop operation of the sewing apparatus 90 in response thereto.

In operation, bags 22 which are filled with a plurality of discrete articles, such as bags discharged from a filling and weighing machine 21, are deposited on the horizontal conveyor belt 25 and are transported towards the sewing station. The vertically disposed endless conveyor belts 30, 31 maintain the bag 22 in an erect condition. An operator may grasp the upper edge of the upper end portion 85 of the bags 22 and draw the upper end portion into a substantially longitudinal slitlike shape,as seen in FIG. 1, preparatory to being received by the chain means for grasping, crimping and feeding the bag upper end portion to the sewing station. The bag upper end portion 85 is then grasped between the oppositely disposed offset-lays on each pair of 1 roller chains whichgrip the bag upper end portion and feed the bag upper end portion towards the sewing stationQ I The linear speed of the opposing lay 64, 70 of the first pair of roller chains andlays 77, 78 of the lower pair of roller chains is approximately the same speed as that of the linear speed of the horizontal and vertical conveyor belts 25, 30, and 31. The bag 22 is thus maintained in 'virtually upright position while its top end portion 85 is partially bunched or "gathered by the offset arrangement of link chain lays during the transportation of the bag 22 toward the sewing station.

As the top end portion 85-of the bag-leaves the grip of the opposed chain lays 64; 70 it is transferred to the tight gripping action provided-by face 98 of plate 96 and the opposed portion of extended lay 70; It should be noted that in the transfer of the upper end of the bag portion from the opposed lays to the extended lay and plate that the upright position of the bag has, to some extent, gathered the leading edge portionof the top end of the "bag s'o'that it is not vertically upright, but instead, is partially closed rearwardly over the contents of. the bag.

As the slightly rearwardly inclined forward edge of the bag upper end portion 85 approaches sewing needle 94, a suitable switch or trip device is actuated so that the sewing operation commences. The sewing machine operated at a speed which is slower than the speed of advancement of the belt conveyor meansand' the chain mea'ns, that is,- thefoot of the sewing machine feeds the fabric material past the sewing needle at a linear rate of speed slower than that atwhich the bag is being advanced toward the sewing machine. As a result of this difference in linear speed and the preliminary gathering of the material of the top end of the bag, the bag material is further gathered and tucked as it is being sewn. Asa result, the line of stitching l00closing the top end portion 85 of the bag is not on a straight line but is'on a slightly downwardly curved line of stitching whereby the top end of the bag is effectively and tightly gathered about th'e upperportion of the contents of the bag. In other words, the/bag closure sewing arrangement of this invention avoids open end spacesat the top of a bag closure. The bag is-then completely closed and sewn with the contents therein held in a tight fill condition.

The sewing operation continues until the top'end portion of the bag passes through the sewing zone and will then cease after a suitable time delay 'when the rearward edge of the bag upper end portion releasesthe sensin switch.

with discrete articles will be seen to comprise generally the.

steps of transporting the filled bags in an'erect upright position along a linear path, grasping the upper end portion of the bag so as to position it for sewing, crimping the bag upper end portion, tucking the bag upper end portion, and sewing the bag upper end portion along a line whichitends to follow the curve of the potatoes in the bag for achieving a tight fill. The apparatus and method will; be'understood as providing means and method for feeding the open bag upper end portion into the sewing means by grasping and crimping the upper end portion of the bag and maintaining it in a position wherein the sewing operation can be easily accomplished. Moreover, by

suitably adjusting the speeds of the bag upper end feeding apparatus and the bag conveyors with respect to the speed of the sewing head, the upper end portion of the bags may be tucked so that a tighter closure is performed when the bag is sewn. Such tighter closure will prevent the discrete articles in the bag from spreading out when the filled bags are being shipped. It also facilitates the handling and storage of such bags.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention comprising a means and method for closing bags filled with discrete articles are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically above described.

I claim:

1. A bag-closing machine for sewing'the 'open upper end of a pliant bag filled with discrete articles, comprising:

bag conveyor means for transporting filled bags;

means for feeding, frictionally grasping and crimping into closed position the open upper end portion of the bag, including roller chain means provided with links of concave-convex side edge configuration'and having closely spaced lays on opposite sides of the bag upper end portion moving in the direction of said bag conveyor means;

said side edge configuration of said links being directly engageable with said bag; and

means for sewing the closed upper end portion of the bag disposed generally-in the plane of said roller chain means.

2. The bag-closing machine of claim 1 additionally including means for controlling the bag conveyor means speed relative to the speed of said means for feeding, grasping and crimping the open upper end portion-of the bags relative to the speed of the sewing means so as to tuck the bag upper end portion during transport of the bag to provide a tight closure.

3. The bag-closing machine of claim 1 wherein said bag conveyor means for transporting filled bags includes:

a horizontally disposed endless conveyor belt for supporting and transporting the filled bags;

a pair of vertically disposed horizontally spaced endless conveyor belts providing stabilizingsupport to the bags; and

all of said belts moving at substantially the same speed.

4. The bag-closing machine of claim 1 wherein said roller chain means comprises two pairs of endless roller chains, said pairs being disposed in vertically adjacent generally horizontal planes,.each pair of said endless rollerchains including oppositely disposed closely spaced lays in bearing relation with the bag upper end portion so as to grasp, crimp and feed the bag upper end portion to said sewing means.

5. The bag-closing machine of claim 4 wherein the links of one of said roller chains are in longitudinally staggered relation to the links of the other oppositely disposed roller chain in each of said pairs of endless roller chains.

6. The bag-closing machine of claim 5 wherein the vertically l adjacent lays are vertically offset with respect to the oppositely disposed vertically adjacent lays of said pairs of endless roller chains. v

7. The bag-closing machine of claim 1 including:

a sewing means needle;

one lay of said roller chain means extending beyond said sewingmeans needle and another lay extending to a position located rearwardly of the needle; and

guide means disposed forwardly of said other lay and in closely spaced relation thereto and on the opposite side of the bag upper end portion whereby the bag upper end portion is' supported and fed between the extension of said one lay and guide means during the sewing operation.

8. The bag-closing machine of claim 7 wherein said guide means comprises a longitudinally rearwardly extending plate terminating in close proximity to the end of said oppositely disposed lay and in spaced relation from said extending lay so as to guide the upper end portion of the bag between said guide meansand said extending lay.

9. In a bag-closing machine including means for sewing the upper end portion of a filled bag and bag conveyor means for transporting the filled bags to and from the sewing means, the improvement comprising:

means for feeding, grasping and crimping the open upper end portion of the bag including:

roller chain means having two lays disposed on opposite sides of the bag upper end portion, each of the lays including links; and

the links of one of said roller chain lays being longitudinally staggered with respect to the other oppositely disposed roller chain lay.

10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein one of said roller chain lays extends beyond the other oppositely disposed roller chain lay, and guide means disposed oppositely the extending lay and longitudinally forwardly of the nonextending roller chain lay in closely spaced relation to said extending roller chain lay and on the opposite side of the bag upper end portion so that said one roller chain lay extension and said guide means supports and feeds the bag upper end portion to the sewing means.

11. A method for sewing the open upper end portion of a substantially filled bag including the steps of:

transporting the filled bags in erect upright position along a substantially straight path;

grasping the bag upper end portion so as to hold the bag upper edge portion in a substantially straight line;

crimping the bag upper end portion;

gathering the bag upper end portion into vertically disposed folds at the upper end portions of the bag; and

sewing the bag upper end portion while said bag upper end portion is being supported in such gathered folded condition.

12. In a bag-closing machine including means for sewing the upper end portion of a filled bag and bag conveyor means for transporting the filled bags to and from the sewing means. the improvement comprising:

means for grasping the upper end portion of the bag includmeans disposed on opposite sides of the bag upper end portion and having opposed side edges of generally curvilinear configuration movable in the same direction as said conveyor means in at least partial mating relationship for gathering the material of the upper end portion of the bag into at least partial vertical folds.

13. In a machine as stated in claim 12 wherein:

one of said curvilinear configured end means extends beyond the opposed edge means;

a guide plate opposite said extension; and

said sewing means being positioned adjacent the end of said extension and on the same side of the upper end portion of said bag as said extension. 

1. A bag-closing machine for sewing the open upper end of a pliant bag filled with discrete articles, comprising: bag conveyor means for transporting filled bags; means for feeding, frictionally grasping and crimping into closed position the open upper end portion of the bag, including roller chain means provided with links of concaveconvex side edge configuration and having closely spaced lays on opposite sides of the bag upper end portion moving in the direction of said bag conveyor means; said side edge configuration of said links being directly engageable with said bag; and means for sewing the closed upper end portion of the bag disposed generally in the plane of said roller chain means.
 2. The bag-closing machine of claim 1 additionally including means for controlling the bag conveyor means speed relative to the speed of said means for Feeding, grasping and crimping the open upper end portion of the bags relative to the speed of the sewing means so as to tuck the bag upper end portion during transport of the bag to provide a tight closure.
 3. The bag-closing machine of claim 1 wherein said bag conveyor means for transporting filled bags includes: a horizontally disposed endless conveyor belt for supporting and transporting the filled bags; a pair of vertically disposed horizontally spaced endless conveyor belts providing stabilizing support to the bags; and all of said belts moving at substantially the same speed.
 4. The bag-closing machine of claim 1 wherein said roller chain means comprises two pairs of endless roller chains, said pairs being disposed in vertically adjacent generally horizontal planes, each pair of said endless roller chains including oppositely disposed closely spaced lays in bearing relation with the bag upper end portion so as to grasp, crimp and feed the bag upper end portion to said sewing means.
 5. The bag-closing machine of claim 4 wherein the links of one of said roller chains are in longitudinally staggered relation to the links of the other oppositely disposed roller chain in each of said pairs of endless roller chains.
 6. The bag-closing machine of claim 5 wherein the vertically adjacent lays are vertically offset with respect to the oppositely disposed vertically adjacent lays of said pairs of endless roller chains.
 7. The bag-closing machine of claim 1 including: a sewing means needle; one lay of said roller chain means extending beyond said sewing means needle and another lay extending to a position located rearwardly of the needle; and guide means disposed forwardly of said other lay and in closely spaced relation thereto and on the opposite side of the bag upper end portion whereby the bag upper end portion is supported and fed between the extension of said one lay and guide means during the sewing operation.
 8. The bag-closing machine of claim 7 wherein said guide means comprises a longitudinally rearwardly extending plate terminating in close proximity to the end of said oppositely disposed lay and in spaced relation from said extending lay so as to guide the upper end portion of the bag between said guide means and said extending lay.
 9. In a bag-closing machine including means for sewing the upper end portion of a filled bag and bag conveyor means for transporting the filled bags to and from the sewing means, the improvement comprising: means for feeding, grasping and crimping the open upper end portion of the bag including: roller chain means having two lays disposed on opposite sides of the bag upper end portion, each of the lays including links; and the links of one of said roller chain lays being longitudinally staggered with respect to the other oppositely disposed roller chain lay.
 10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein one of said roller chain lays extends beyond the other oppositely disposed roller chain lay, and guide means disposed oppositely the extending lay and longitudinally forwardly of the nonextending roller chain lay in closely spaced relation to said extending roller chain lay and on the opposite side of the bag upper end portion so that said one roller chain lay extension and said guide means supports and feeds the bag upper end portion to the sewing means.
 11. A method for sewing the open upper end portion of a substantially filled bag including the steps of: transporting the filled bags in erect upright position along a substantially straight path; grasping the bag upper end portion so as to hold the bag upper edge portion in a substantially straight line; crimping the bag upper end portion; gathering the bag upper end portion into vertically disposed folds at the upper end portions of the bag; and sewing the bag upper end portion while said bag upper end portion is being supported in such gathered folded condition.
 12. In a bag-closing machIne including means for sewing the upper end portion of a filled bag and bag conveyor means for transporting the filled bags to and from the sewing means, the improvement comprising: means for grasping the upper end portion of the bag including: means disposed on opposite sides of the bag upper end portion and having opposed side edges of generally curvilinear configuration movable in the same direction as said conveyor means in at least partial mating relationship for gathering the material of the upper end portion of the bag into at least partial vertical folds.
 13. In a machine as stated in claim 12 wherein: one of said curvilinear configured end means extends beyond the opposed edge means; a guide plate opposite said extension; and said sewing means being positioned adjacent the end of said extension and on the same side of the upper end portion of said bag as said extension. 